Car-coupling.



No. 830,977. PATENTED SEPT. 11, 1906. S.,F. DOUGLASS.

GAR COUPLING; PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP e.

J I I ii I I I v I UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL F. DOUGLASS,

OF BLOOMFIELD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF CAR-COUPLING- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 11, 1906;

Application filed June 27. 1906. Serial No, 323,647.

To (ti/Z 1071,0717 it nan/y cmwcrn:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL F. DOUGLASS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bloomfield, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplings; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in couplers especially adapted for dump-cars; and the object of the invention is to produce a simple and efficient de vice of this nature comprising a springactuated hook which is securely bolted to a plate mounted upon a draw-bar, the end of which bar is provided with a suitable casting upon which the springactuated hook rests and being guided between bolt-heads fastening said casting to the draw-bar.

My invention comprises various details of construction, combination, and arrangements of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described and then specifically defined in the appended claims.

I illustrate my invention in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my improved coupler secured to a draw-head. Fig. 2 is a central sectional view through one of the couplers and draw-head to which it is secured. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 4; 4 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 is a detailed perspective view of the casting which is held upon the end of the draw-bar.

Reference now being had to the details of l 1 by letter, A designates a drawbar adapted to be fastened to a dump-car B, and C is a hollow casting which has an open bottom and sides C adapted to be countersunk in recesses in opposite faces of the drawhead, whereby the outer faces of said casting and the opposite sides of the draw-head may be flush. A bolt D passes through registering apertures in the sides of the casting and said draw-head, whereby the same may be securely held to the latter. Vertically-disposed bolts E are also passed through the casting and drawhead and have headsE spaced apart and nuts E mounted upon the lower threaded ends of said bolts E.

A plate F (shown clearly in Fig. 2 of the drawings) has bosses F projecting from the bottom thereof, and said plate F is countersunk in the upper surface of the draw-head.

Gr designates a casing which has an open bottom and laterally-projecting flanges G, (shown clearly in Fig. 1 of the drawings) and bolts H pass through apertures in said flanges and the plate F and also the draw-head, whereby the casing may be securely held in place. The ends of the casing have registering apertures through which the shank portion N of the hook N passes. A nut O is mounted upon the threaded end of said shank portion and adapted to bear against a washer O movable within the casing G. Said shank portion of'the hook has shoulders O, which are adapted to contact with the front end of the casing to limit the rearward throw of said hook. A coiled spring J is mounted within said casing and about the shank portion of said hook and has a bearing between the end walls of the casing, the oflice of said spring being to allow the hook to yield under a pull incident to being connected to another car by a link caught over said hook. Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, it will be seen that a portion of said hook is flat and rests upon the upper surface of said casting O, and the hook is guided in its longitudinal movements between the heads E of said bolts E as the hook is moved longitudinally.

Heretofore it has been a common practice to utilize couplers upon dump-cars in which unskilled laborers are frequently apt to get their fingers caught between the bumpers, whereas by the provision of a coupler made in accordance with my invention an unskilled laborer may couple or uncouple cars equipped with my invention without danger of injury to life and limb.

By the provision of a coupler made in accordance with my invention it will be noted. that the passing of the bolts and the fastening of rigid hooks through the draw-head by means of bolts which so impair the efficiency of the draw-head is dispensed with, and which old style of coupling necessitates the frequent replacing of the draw-heads, and various other advantages are derived from the construction shown over the prior art.

What I claim to be new, and desire to se cure by Letters Patent, is

1. A coupling for dump-cars comprising, in combination with the draw-head, a casting fitted over the end of the draw-head and fastened thereto, a spring-pressed hook, means for holding the same upon the drawhead and guide members upon said casting and between which the hook is adapted to have a longitudinal movement, as set forth.

2. A coupling for dump-cars comprising, in combination with the draw-head, a hollow casting fastened over the end of the drawhead, a spring-actuated hook, a housing secured to the draw-head and in which the shank portion of said hook is mounted, guide members upon said casting and between which the hook is adapted to have a longi tudinal movement, as set forth.

3. A coupling for dump-cars comprising, in combination with the draw-head, a hollow casting fastened over the end of the drawbar, a spring-actuated hook, a housing having apertured ends throughwhich the shank portion of said hook passes, a shoulder upon the shank portion of the hook adapted to,

limit its movement in one direction and guide members upon the casting between which the hook-has a longitudinal movement as set forth.

4. A coupling for dump-cars comprising,'

housing upon the draw-head, a spring-actuated hook having a shank portion passing through apertures in the ends of said housing,

said hook adapted to rest upon the upper surface of the casting and guided between said bolts, as set forth.

5. A coupling for dump-cars comprising, in combination with a draw-head, a hollow casting fitted over the end of the draw-head, a plate'having bosses upon one face thereof countersunken in the upper surface of the draw head, a flanged housing and bolts for holding the same to said plate and draw-head, a spring-actuated hook mounted in apertures in the ends of said casing and means upon the casting for guiding the hook in its longitudinal movement, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL F. DOUGLASS. 

